Loose African gray parrots (Psitaccus erithacus), also known as yacos redstart, are the most traded psittacine birds in the world due to their high demand as pets. Their intelligence, beauty and ability to imitate sounds and voices have made them targets illegal tradeto such an extent as at present They are classified as “endangered” in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Deforestation and the destruction of its habitat also increase the vulnerability of this species, which has increased in recent years has undergone an alarming decline in its natural environment. For this reason, they have been part of the Appendix I of the CITES Conventionmeaning your international traffic for commercial purposes is prohibited.
In Spain There are many gray parrots in captivity illegal as a pet. In the context of operations against illegal trade of wild animals MITECO, Last year, a campaign was launched to confiscate these animals who lived illegally in private homes.
The copies seized during these actions throughout the year were transferred to the Foundation for Research in Ethology and Biodiversity (FIEB)shelter CITES. They’ve been there rehabilitate with adequate nutrition, veterinary care and all necessary care to ensure their well-being with the ultimate goal of being able to reintroduce them to their natural habitat.
Gray parrots return to their natural habitat in Congo
Before the repatriation last Tuesday, they carried out genetic, ethological and veterinary testing on all individuals to assess the viability of their reintroduction, and to ensure that their release did not pose any risk to the indigenous people of gray parrots of the Congo.
Now the 34 gray parrots suitable for reintroduction They are already in Tchimpounga, completing their adaptation before being released into their natural habitat, where they should never have been extracted. Especially these people will be reintroduced into the Tchimpounga Nature Reservean ideal place because it is a protected area and with wild populations of this species.
This isn’t the first time the center has Let’s go welcomes this species. Since 2021, the Center has received more than 140 specimens of African gray parrots. Most they arrived a Let’s go in poor physical conditionwith even feathers cut off, after traveling in closed containers and hidden in their luggage for illegal trade.
Some of these individuals have already returned to their natural habitat, while others remain recover with personalized veterinary care, balanced nutrition and socialization opportunities with other parrots, in suitable facilities to accommodate them in all their rehabilitation phases (quarantine, training and reintroduction), which were built with support from the MITECO due to the increasing arrival of gray parrots a Let’s go.
So is the Dog detection unit of the Institute Jane Goodall in Congo has also strengthened its efforts to halt the epidemic illegal trade of this species and during the past year dog handlers taught their four-legged companions to detect gray parrot feathers.
Thanks to this progress, and thanks to multidisciplinary cooperation between civil society, organizations and public services, it is becoming increasingly easier to detect the illegal trade in gray parrots in timeas well as other wild animals, to protect them and save them from extinction.